How to formulate inclusive cosmetic formulas

Lets take a look at commonalities of different skin types, and then consider how these can be addressed in more inclusive skincare formulas for those travelling constantly to different climate zones and/or those of varying descent. You can also watch this video which outlines different ethnic skin types and the formulation needs of each.

Nothing damages or ages the skin as badly as UV exposure – when formulating for inclusivity it is important to recommend sun protection to minimise this damage. It is difficult to formulate an inclusive sunscreen that will suit multiple skin types because of how much that melanin content can vary, along with varying sebum levels that will impact how the product needs to spread and feel.

Generally speaking, the lower the Fitzpatrick skin type rating (those with a rating of I, II or III) the more lipids, hydration and anti-ageing factors that will be needed by the individual as they age, particularly if they have had a lot of sun exposure during their lifetime, as their skin is very susceptible to UV damage.

Asian skin > Hispanic skin > Caucasian skin >> African/Caribbean

While African/Caribbean skin has the lowest content of ceramides, they have a generally high content of sebum which helps counter against excess dryness.

When creating an inclusive skincare formula, use a relatively high content of humectants as this will provide suppleness and counter drying regardless of ethnic heritage. Humectants are also great to hydrate the skin without having any sort of greasy or oily residue.

African/Caribbean skin >> Asian skin > Caucasian skin > Hispanic skin

When creating inclusive skincare formulas it is hard to cater to all skin types in lipid content because Caucasian and Hispanic skin types, for example, will want a longer lasting and richer feeling emollience from their skin care than African/Caribbean or Asian skin types of the same age. In this case, using terminology that describes the skin feel of the product based on both oil input and type of oils used will help your consumer better select the product for their skin type. For example, describe your product as ‘rich’ for those wanting more oil with a longer lasting emolliency, or ‘light’ for those wanting product for use in humid regions, or for skin types where only a low input of light skin feel esters or silicones is desired.

It is also interesting to note that Asian skin types have the thinnest stratum corneum, but the high ceramide and sebum content helps protect them from early aging. Asian skin types do have the highest reaction to pollution, however, which is interesting as many people with Asian heritage live in more populated (and therefore generally more polluted) environments. Inclusive skincare would benefit from pollution protecting film formers or anti-pollution actives, especially where it will be targeted to those living in cities versus those seeking a more wholistic or countryside lifestyle.

Caucasian skin (30 years old+) > Hispanic skin > African/Caribbean skin > Asian skin (50 years old+)

It is however, interesting to note, that Asian skin types and African/Caribbean skin types will often experience uneven skin tone, dark eye bags and/or hyperpigmentation spots earlier than other skin types, even if they remain wrinkle free.

When creating inclusive skin care, it is best not to put an age on the product but instead make claims about the activity of the product. That way those with varied heritage (and therefore various stages of skin-ageing, regardless of their biological age) can select products to suit their skin concerns, rather than based on a date of birth.

When formulating for inclusive skincare, it can be a good idea to appeal to the wellbeing aspect of lifestyle, particularly if your target market fits into a stressed or lifestyle impacted category.

• Recommendations to use daily UV protection – rather than try to have a one-size-fits-all approach to a sunscreen product, recommend they find a product that suits their skin and use it daily.
• Include actives to address UV damage, as we are all exposed to it!
• Include plenty of humectants in your formula – this will boost suppleness and hydration to all skin types without greasy residue.
• Incorporate the expected skin feel of emolliency into the name of the product so consumers can select ‘rich’, ‘light’ or medium skin feel according to their dryness and skin needs.
• Include actives to address specific skin concerns such as whitening, lightening eye bags or hyperpigmentation, or anti-wrinkle; and use this in the marketing rather than use age ranges or try to be age specific.
• Consider the humidity and pollution of the area where the products will be sold and include actives if necessary.
• Consider including a wellbeing active and message to counter the impact of diet, lifestyle and stress.

And of course, trial the inclusive formulas on as diverse a population as possible to get their feedback on the skin feel and efficacy of the formulation. It is always consumer opinion that matters and will ultimately drive the formulation development of your skincare range.

Happy formulating!